Tear strip package and blank therefor



y 1954 c. D. MULLINIX TEAR STRIP PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Fild Sept. 30. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: CHARLES D. MULL/N/X HUEBNER,BEEHLER, WORREL,HERZIG e CALDWELL BY ATTORNEYS.

May 25, 1954 c. D. MULLINIX 2,679,349

TEAR STRIP PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Sept. 30, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: CHARLES 0. ,uuLu/wx HUEB NER, BEEHLER WORREL, HERZIG GOALDWEll. Y ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 25, 1954 TEAR STRIP PACKAGE AND BLANK Y THEREFOR Charles D. Mullinix, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 30, 1948, Serial No. 52,108

6 Claims.

This invention in its broad aspects relates to improvements in means for packaging articles, especially food products such as butter, oleomargarine, cereal food products, bacon, frozen foods, sausage, and the like, and the method of making up the package and applying it to the food product or other article packaged therein.

More particularly this invention relates to an improvement disclosed and claimed in my United States Patent No. Re. 23,096, granted April 5, 19%9, for Moisture Proof Package.

The present invention is characterized by a tear strip incorporated in the package structure from the material of the package itself without additional elements, whereby the package when sealed will remain substantially moisture-proof and dust-proof, and which package may be conveniently opened by ripping the tear strip.

My package comprises a laminated blank having one area of combined thickness of the laminates for lending support, and in the form illustrated a marginal area of relatively thin sheet material adapted to be folded for the ends of the package, the blank being suitably scored to be formed around the product or a form, in which blank the lower or underneath preferably heavier sheet material is perforatedalong parallel lines to establish a tear strip, and the upper or outer preferably thinner sheet material may or may not be perforated and completely overlies and covers the tear strip perforations described so that when the package is formed by the blank the protective effect of the package will be that of an imperforate sheet. To open the package an accessible tab may be grasped between thumb and finger and the tear strip defined by the parallel perforations in the heavy material ripped out, carrying with it a complementary strip of the outer light weight sheet material.

One form utilizing this principle employs parallel perforations in the outer light weight material, but spaced farther apart than the parallel perforations in the heavier material so that in the laminating of the sheets no perforations extend entirely through the lamination at any point, thus preserving the imperforate total effect in the package.

It is not necessary that the package be in the particular shape or fold illustrated, nor that the blank be scored to form corners for the package. The form illustrated is chosen for convenience and demonstration of one of the most advantageous current uses of the package, Wherein it is utilized for the packaging of butter, and such form corresponds generally to the form 2 shown in my United States Patent No. Re. 23,096 referred to above, and the improvement disclosed and claimed in this present application is thus more readily apparent.

Threads, cord or strips for opening packages are known broadly to the art, but there is none previous to my present improvement of which I am aware that can be satisfactorily used in a package of the character disclosed and is formed from the sheet material of the laminations themselves.

In the prior art threads have been interposed between the inner and outer wrappers of cigarette packages, whereby the outer or cellophane case may be torn open but there remains the inner bar or box to be separately and manually opened by tearing the sealed flaps. Chewing gum packages have been provided with tear strips but of a different character from that of my invention and the chewing gum package would not perform the function of my moisture-proof package and could not be substituted therefor.

For reasons outlined in some detail in my aforesaid Reissue Patent No. 23,096 a laminated sealed moisture-proof or at least moisture-resistant package and one which is substantially dustproof, for food products, is exceedingly important, wherein strength and support is provided around the sides, top and bottom of the package with convenience and ease of sealing or closing at the ends, contamination by dust, dirt and foreign substances including odors is prevented, packaging costs are reduced, a more attractive, more practical and more useful package is obtained, methods of producing the package as well as introducing the articles to be packaged therein are simplified, the weight of the package is reduced, and the package is adapted to production on machines now existing with but minor modification.

All of these objects which are achieved by the package disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid patent and reissue thereof are retained in the present improvement, wherein I realize the important additional object and advantage of a tear strip which may be built into the package blank without the employment of any elements other than the materials for the lamination, and which may be accomplished by an automatic machine process of manufacture be relatively few and simple additional operations without in any way impairing any of the advantageous qualities of the blank or the package.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a package blank and a package to be formed therefrom wherein the blank is laminated by joining a relatively heavy inner sheet and a relatively light outer sheet having a marginal extension beyond the heavy sheet to form the end closures of the package, and a tear strip as distinguished from a separate ribbon, cord or other substance interposed beneath or between the sheets is incorporated into the laminated blank from the material of the blank without destroying the imperforate effective condition of the blank, and whereby after the package is formed it may be opened either adjacent the end thereof, in the center, or at any intermediate location, depending upon the placement of the tear strip or strips by grasping an end or tab of the tear strip and ripping it whereby all sheets of the laminated package are severed along the lines defining the tear strip, and the package can be thus broken open to make the contents accessible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaged blank and a package to be formed therefrom incorporating a tear strip, of the character described, which may be made from paper, cellophane, Pliofilm, synthetic resin, or

metal foils, or combinations of these, and of any other sheet material having manipulative and protective characteristics generally similar to those of paper, and which are adaptable to landnation.

Various uses and benefits from a package of the character discussed will be apparent. Among these is the merchandising of half pound packages of butter without the necessity of initially packaging the butter in half pound packages. Thus, the butter may be packaged in one pound packages made according to the invention, and the retail merchants may rip out the tear strips in the center of the package and create two half pound packages of each, merchandising the half pound packages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a further consideration of the description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan View with parts out away of a single package blank embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross section of the laminate and illustrating the perforations and formation of a thumb tab taken along the line ii of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a completed package embodying the invention.

Figure 4 is a similar perspective view of the same package as in Figure 3 illustrating the initial stage of ripping the tear strip to open the package.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the package of Figures 3 and l, wherein the ripping of the tear strip has progressed to the point where the two halves of the package may be broken apart.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a slight-- ly modified form of blank with parts cut away, the difference in form residing in the detail of the tear strip tab.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the modified form of package which is partially illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 7 showing this modified package in the initial stages of being opened.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a package embodying the invention, wherein the tear strip is located immediately adjacent one end of the package and by virtue of such location is modified over the other forms to the extent that only one line of perforations in each sheet is required inasmuch as the end of the heavy sheet parallel to such perforations defines one edge of the tear strip.

Figure 10 illustrates some further modifications. It shows a cut-out to render the tear strip tab accessible generally similar to the cut-out of Figures 6 to 9, but this cut-out in Figure 10 extends completely to the edge of the package blank. It also shows a type of laminated blank embodying the invention, wherein the outer light sheet is not perforated, only the lower heavy sheet being perforated. With the latter construction, especially if an adhesive lamination is employed, the light sheet will be torn out with the tear strip area of the heavy sheet.

In the packaging of butter, oleomargarine and other articles or products having the approximate form singly or when assembled of a finished package, the article will usually be inserted therein as the package is in the process of formation from the blank, although the blank may be converted into a container on an aluminum or other type of form leaving one end only open for filling, as for example in the case of cereals, frozen foods and the like, and such open end may be subsequently closed by a vacuum method.

The package is made of a laminated blank having at least two layers bonded by a substantially moisture-proof or moisture-resistant substance, as for example parafiin, latex or thermoplastic synthetic resin, or a combination of these.

i e blanks are most efficiently manufactured from previously prepared rolls of the required finished width, simultaneously fed from the rolls in continuous webs or strips. While more than two layers may be employed I find the use of two layers usually adequate and will refer to only two in outlining the steps of the process.

In describing the package and the process of making it I will refer principally to paper, paraiiin and latex as illustrative only, and for the sake of convenience and conciseness. Such reference is not to be construed as a limitation of my invention to use of the particular material specified.

Each blank 23 comprises a rectangular laminated sheet of relatively thick heavy paper or the like of lesser width and a relatively thin light weight paper or other sheet material of greater width as illustrated, the ends of the light weight and heavy weight sheets coinciding, with a tear strip extending from end to end in the direction of the coinciding ends, such strip being formed by parallel perforations in both sheets, the periteration lines of the heavy sheet lying within the parallel lines of the light sheet, the lamination being bonded by a moisture proof material, such as paraffin and latex, which preferably impregnates the paper or is inherent in the structure of the sheet material used and furnishes a bond between the laininations over the entire mutually contacting surfaces thereof. Such a laminated blank has the qualities of body and stiffness throughout the laminated portion enabling the use of lighter paper or other material for the heavy layer than can be used satisfactorily in making board cartons.

The margins of the heavy sheet are indicated at Bi) and 61, being spaced in the illustration the same distance from corresponding marginal edges 62 and 63 of the light sheet, but the positioning of the heavy sheet exactly medial on the light sheet is subject to variation depending upon the ultimate conformation and purposes of the package which may be formed therefrom.

Whereas in my Patent No. Re. 23,096 it was optional to employ the blanks in a manner positioning the heavy layer either inside or outside, in the present disclosure the blank should be formed and used so that the light sheet is outside in order that the tear strip will properly function to completely open the wall of the package.

While I say that in the present disclosure the light sheet should be outside, this is not absolutely essential. Some of the benefits of the invention, although possibly not all, can be realized by positioning the heavy layer outside and the light layer inside, particularly if a good bond is made between the layers. With such a reversal in the positioning of the sheets the perforation lines would be preferably spaced closer together in the light sheet than in the heavy sheet.

Assuming these blanks are to be used for packaging butter or any other product preformed into a single print the full size of the package or into a plurality of prints assembled into the same total size, the packaging may be performed in substantially the following manner:

1. The blanks being contained in any suitable magazine, butter is introduced against the center panel 32 and panels 3| and 33, representing the top and bottom of the finished package are folded over, machines for this purpose being known to the art. Of course the same operation may be performed by hand.

2. Side edge 64 is folded along the score line 48 and suiiicient heat may be applied to soften the paraffin and latex or other adhesive on the outer surface thereof.

3. Overlapping edge 39 is then folded down and pressed into contact with edge 8 cold being applied to set the bond of paraiin and latex between the contacting surfaces of the two edges.

4. The side portions 64 and 65 of the ends are folded in preferably by use of a hot finger which softens the paraffin and latex on the outer surface.

5. The bottom end flaps 66 are folded up and heat is simultaneously applied to soften the parafiin and latex on the outer surface.

6. The top end flaps 57 are folded down and brought into contact with the flaps 65. A cold plate may be used for this purpose.

In heating the paraffin and latex where the various folding is performed it is preferable to utilize hot fingers or plungers which soften the parafiin and latex when the folding is taking place so that no prolonged heat is introduced to the butter or other contents of the package. This is important because heat applied to butter will discolor and otherwise injure it.

The edges 6d and Si of the heavy layer 2i represent the end margins of the package, the end folding of the lighter layer 22 taking place along such margins.

The tear strip described, which for convenience will be designated i is inherent in the structure of the laminated wall of the package and is incorporated in the completed package without any additional operations once the blank is formed and cut. This tear strip does not in any way interfere with the complete sealing of the package, does not add any bulk or foreign elements thereto, and does not distort the smooth appearance of the surface thereof. An end of the tear strip comprising the tab 52 formed by the arcuate cut 5| is left exposed as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, whereby the tab may be grasped between the thumb and finger and be pulled up and around the package which results in ripping both layers of the laminated strip as shown in Figure 4, the two layers being separated at the ends in said figure merely for the purpose of revealing the two layers. These layers of the tear strip will ordinarily remain laminated so long as the tab is grasped between the thumb and finger, but due to the ripping action may tend to separate as shown in Figure iwhen let go. The severance may be extended completely around the package resulting in two separated halves thereof, or may be discontinued as illustrated in Figure 5 which results in two half packages joined by a fraction of the tear strip acting as a hinge. The partial or complete severing of the package leaves exposed the separately wrapped butter cubes 1!, the cubes from one-half of the package in Figure 5 having been removed to show the interior '52. If the user wishes to leave the halves of the package hinged together he may break off the tear strip along the corner line 13 leaving the hinge without the discarded part of the tear strip. Under such use the package may be folded shut intermediate withdrawals therefrom.

If the package is to contain cereal or other materials or articles not to be produced in prints naturally filling the package, it may be formed in the manner described to the extent applicable on an aluminum block or other type of form, leaving one end open, and after filling, the open end may be folded and sealed by the application of heat and preferably a vacuum plate of a type known to the art whereby a flap end closure is accomplished.

The blank, as shown, or modified by offsetting the heavy sheet nearer to, or flush with, one edge of the heavy sheet, may be folded in other ways than shown, as for example, to provide a box, initially with an open flap, and closed after inserting the contents. The tear strip can be incorporated and used with the same effectiveness.

Packages of this general character are ordinarily stacked bottom upon top or on their side edges, not upon their ends; therefore it is important that the top, bottom and sides of the package embody a firmness and protective rigidity which is not necessary at the end. I have thus used this fact to achieve a package which offers adequate firmness and protective rigidity over all surfaces where that quality is necessary, and by eliminating heavier layers at the ends I am enabled to perform compound folding and sealing operations which would be quite difficult and unsatisfactory if the heavy layer of the laminated blank extended the full width thereof, and with a tear strip inherent in the structure and which is as impervious to air and moisture as the remainder of the blank and enables the blank to be completely sealed, yet with a tab of the tear strip exposed and accessible the user may conveniently and effectively rip open the package with a clean cleavage intermediate the ends or at the ends as may be desired and as manufactured according to the needs.

In the form of blank and package illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 the structure is the same as that previously described in detail except that the arcuate cut 5| providing the tab 52 is supplemented by side cuts 15 and I6 and an end cut 11, the combination of which results in an open- 7 ing 18 entirely through the laminated blank and in direct extension from the tear strip. This opening 18 does not destroy the impervious nature of the package formed from the blank because, as illustrated in Figure '7, the opening 18 overlies the upwardly turned side wall 64,, and these side walls being sealed to each other, the opening 18 can not communicate with the interior of the package. It does facilitate grasping the tab 52 by reason of enabling the user to more conveniently insert a finger nail under the said tab. Figure 8 which shows the package of Figure '7 partly opened reveals the edge 54 of the upwardly turned side wall 64 and clearly demonstrates that prior to the ripping of the tear strip the flap was sealed over the marginal portion of this wall 54.

Figure 9 shows a package similar to that of Figure '7 in which the tear strip is at the end of the package. The construction of the blank for such a package is obvious from the foregoing descriptions, it being necessary in this case to form only one perforation line 80 in the heavy sheet and one perforation line 8| in the light sheet close to and parallel to the edges 60 and BI of the heavy sheet. The edges of the heavy sheet referred to will define and function as one edge of the tear strip.

In Figure 10 a variation is shown wherein the heavy sheet only is perforated at 85 and 86 to form the boundary of the tear strip. The light sheet is not perforated. This construction will perform satisfactorily where the two sheets are laminated by some sort of adhesive means which will not permit the sheets to become separated and which will result in the light weight sheet being ripped out cleanly when the the tab 52 is pulled.

Also in Figure 10 is shown a further modification, wherein the out is supplemented by side cuts 8? and 88 extending as continuations of the perforation lines 85 and 86 to the edge of the blank. The effect is practically the same as is provided by the opening 18 in Figure 6.

The cut 5| may even be eliminated thus sacrificing the tab 52 in the form illustrated. In such case the user merely inserts the finger nail or instrument under the exposed edge of the tear strip area and pulls the same as if pulling on the tab. While this would be equivalent to the form shown some impairment of function might result due to the tendency in that case of the entire outside flap 3G to lift. Such is not inevitable if by manipulating properly the end of the tear strip area a lifting of the flap could be avoided. It simply would be less convenient.

My package is completely sealed against dirt and other foreign substance and may be made grease resistant or moisture proof to the extent necessary to retain butter, oleomargarine or other food products with substantially their original moisture content. While in the preferred example of my invention, I use a mixture of paramn and latex to impregnate the paper and form the bond between the laminations as well as the final sealing of the package, the latex may be eliminated and the paraffin alone used, or I may substitute some other form of sealing bond. It should have cohesive qualities and preferably coat the surface of the sheet material as well as impregnate the same. It should render the blank substantially impervious to air and moisture and resistant to grease. Various thermoplastic synthetic resins are suitable. 7

My package is impervious to air in the generally accepted meaning with reference to treated paper containers. It is not absolutely air tight but is substantially so and the term is to be so construed.

As pointed out above I do not limit myself to the use of sulphite stock as my method may be practiced with and my blanks made from other types of stock or sheet materials. I have found as a practical operation that it is satisfactory to use .009 solid stock for the heavy sheet which can be readily made on Fcurdrinier machines. This weight is too light to use alone for food cartons, but is adequate as the heavy lamination in my improved package.

The usual minimum weight of carton board used in food packages is .016, and my laminated blank in a combined weight not over .012 has firmness and rigidity equal to that of the .016 carton board.

While in the preferred forms of the invention showing perforation lines in both light weight and heavy weight materials these perforation lines are offset laterally to provide a sealing surface between the laminations, it is within the spirit of the invention, although at the present time does not appear to be very practical, to superlmpose the perforation lines one directly above the other taking care that the holes forming the perforations are staggered so that the perforation holes in the two sheets are offset longitudinally of the lines whereby sealing surfaces are provided between the staggered holes in the two sheets.

While for convenience in description, I have specifically mentioned paper stocks as comprising the lamination of my blank, it is within the scope of my invention to utilize other sheet material having the genera} protective and manipulative characteristics ascribed in paper stocks. Such materials are known which are inherently heat sealing or solvent sealing, and may be bonded to a second lamination without the preliminary bonding bath described for paper by pressing under heated rolls. Some of the materials suitable are cellophane, Pliofilm, synthetic resin or metal foils, or combinations of these.

In using foil, it is ordinarily employed as the light wide sheet, and is backed up with a narrower heavy sheet of some other material. The foil may be coated, for example, or it may be laminated to a thin sheet of paper, the composite being the wide sheet.

fi desired, a window package may be made in usin a transparent light lamination or section therein, and cutting out an area in a panel or panels of the heavy lamination.

While in packaging butter, oleomargarine, bacon, sausage, and other products, the conventional shape of the package is usually rectangular, the invention is not limited to such shape and use. The score lines may be even entirely omitted and the blank formed into a round or oval package. Thus, while the drawings show a rectangular package consisting of side walls formed by wrapping the assembly of bonded sheets and distinct end walls formed by the folded flaps 61, the terms side walls and end walls are intended to include corresponding portions of a round or oval package. Further, the laminated assembly of bonded sheets could readily be made of uniform thickness throughout its area, including the portions folded to form the ends.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures and methods. The essence of the invention may be sub-divided into two phases: (1) The blank per se includin a roll of blanks; and (2) The package formed from the blank. Each of these is laimed.

The blank is characterized by a tear strip being formed in the laminated structure of the same sheets of material which comprise the structure and which tear strip is so formed as to retain the impervious character of the blank. The package is characterized by the incorporation of the tear strip therein, the package when sealed being fully protective and rendered conveniently severable by ready access to and easy manipulation of the tear strip.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sealed perforation tear strip package having side walls and end Walls, said package being formed of at least one relatively heavy sheet and at least one relatively light sheet of material having protective characteristics but shearable by finger manipulation, said heavy sheet extending through the area of said side walls, such blank being treated with an adhesive substance which bonds the heavy sheet throughout its area to the light sheet and renders the blank substantially impervious to air, the heavy sheet being of less width than the light sheet but of the same length, the sheets being positioned with their medial 1ongitudinal lines coinciding, the sheets each having a complementary pair of lines of perforations extending longitudinally substantially the entire length of the sheets and forming a tear strip positioned parallel to the longitudinal edges of the heavy sheet, the perforation lines on the two sheets being offset with the perforation lines on the inner heavy sheet positioned between the perforation lines on the outer light sheet and the perforation cuts sealed by the opposite sheets respectively, the double thickness of the blank being relatively stiff, the extending margin of the light sheet being relatively flexible and soft, the bonded section being wrapped around with said lines of perforations extending around said package in planes parallel to and between said end walls and its meetin edges overlapped as flaps and secured together, providing a stiff supporting portion around the central body portion of the package, and the extending marginal portions only of the light sheet folded to form said end walls, an end of the tear strip being accessible on the outside flap to be grasped for ripping the tear strip out thus severing the laminated Wall of the package to break open the package.

2. A sealed perforation tear strip package having side walls and end walls, said package being formed of at least one generally rectangular relatively heavy inner sheet and at least one generally rectangular relatively light outer sheet of material having protective characteristics but shearable by finger manipulation, said heavy sheet extending throughout the area of said side walls, said sheets bein treated with an adhesive substance which bonds the heavy sheet throughout its area to the light sheet and renders the package substantially impervious to air, the heavy sheet being of the same length as the light sheet, the sheets being positioned with their medial longitudinal lines coinciding, the sheets each having a complementary pair of lines of perforations extending longitudinally substantially the entire length of the sheets and forming a tear strip positioned parallel to the longitudinal edges of the heavy sheet, the perforation lines on the inner heavy sheet positioned between the perforation lines on the outer light sheet and the perforation cuts sealed by the opposite sheets respectively, the bonded sheets being wrapped around with said lines of perforations extending around said package in planes parallel to and between said end walls, th meeting edges of said wrapped sheets being overlapped as flaps and secured together, one outside the other, the marginal portions of said wrapped sheets being folded to form the ends of said package, an end of said tear strip being accessible on the outside flap to be grasped for ripping the tear strip out thus severing the laminated walls of the package to break open the package.

3. A sealed perforation tear strip package hav-- ing side walls and end walls, said package being formed of at least two generally rectangular superimposed sheets of material having protective characteristics but shearable by finger manipulation, said sheets being treated with an adhesive substance which bonds one sheet throughout its area to the other sheet and renders the assembly of bonded sheets substantially impervious to air, said assembly of superposed sheets extending throughout the area of said side walls, the sheets each having a complementary pair of lines of perforations extending longitudinally substantially the entire length of the sheets and forming a tear strip positioned parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sheets, the perforation lines on the two sheets being offset with the perforation lines on the inner sheet positioned between the perforation lines on the outer sheet and the perforation cuts sealed by the opposite sheets respectively, the assembly of bonded sheets being wrapped around with each of said lines of perforations extending around said package in planes parallel to and between said end walls, the meeting edges of said assembly being overlapped as flaps and secured together, the marginal portions folded to form the ends, an end of the tear strip being accessible on the outside flap to be grasped for ripping the tear strip out thus severing the laminated wall of the package to break open the package.

4. A sealed perforation tear strip package having side walls and end walls, said package being formed of an assembly of at least two generally rectangular superposed sheets of material having protective characteristics but shearable by finger manipulation, said sheets being treated with an adhesive substance which bonds one sheet throughout its area to the other sheet and renders the assembly substantially impervious to air, said assembly of superposed sheets extending throughout the area of said side walls, the inner sheet havin a pair of substantially parallel lines of perforations extendin completely thereacross and defining a tear strip, the material of'said outer sheet in the respective linear regions overlying said lines of perforations being imperforate and adapted to be sheared by the outward ripping of the inner sheet strip defined by the lines of perforations, the bonded assembly being wrapped around with said lines of perforations extending around said package in planes parallel to and between said end walls, the meeting edges of said assembly being overlapped as flaps and secured together, one outside the other, the marginal portions of said wrapped assembly being folded to form said end walls, an end of said tear strip being accessible on the outside flap to be grasped for ripping the tear strip out thus severing the laminated walls of the package to break the package open.

5. A sealed perforation tear strip package having side walls and end walls, said package being formed of an assembly of at least two generally rectangular superposed sheets of material havin protective characteristics but shearable by finger manipulation, said sheets being treated with an adhesive substance which bonds one sheet throughout its areato the other sheet and renders the assembly substantially impervious to air, said assembly of superposed sheets extending throughout the area of said side walls, the inner sheet having a pair of substantially parallel lines of perforations extending completely thereacross and defining a tear strip, the material of said outer sheet in the respective linear regions overlying said lines of perforations being imperforate and adapted to be sheared by the outward ripping of the inner sheet strip defined by the lines of perforations, the bonded assembly being wrapped around with said lines of perforations extending around said package in planes parallel to and between said end walls, the meeting edges of said assembly being overlapped as flaps and their entire mutual contiguous surfaces bein bonded together, one outside the other, the marginal portions of said wrapped assembly being folded to form said end walls, a cut-out between the lines of perforations entirely through the assembly of superposed sheets in the outside flap only, one edge of said cut-out providing an end of said tear strip accessible on the outside flap to be grasped for ripping the tear strip out thus severing the laminated walls of the package to break the package open, the inside flap closing off the cut-out until the tear strip is ripped.

6. A blank for use in formin a tear strip package having side walls comprising, a first generally rectangular sheet of material, a second generally rectangular sheet of material overlying the entire area of said first sheet and being bonded thereto throughout the area of said first sheet to form a generally rectangular laminated assembly adapted to be wrapped on a mandrel to form at least the side walls of said package, at least one pair of the corresponding opposed edges of said first and second sheets bein substantially coincident, the sheets each having a complementary pair of spaced lines of perforations extending completely thereacross and transverse to and through the said coincident ed es thereof and forming a tear strip, the perforation lines on the two sheets being offset with the perforation lines on one sheet positioned between the perforation lines on the other sheet, the material of said sheets in the linear regions overlying said lines of perforations being imperforate.

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